Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman

A dark force is born from the imaginations of two young brothers, casting a shadow over Nod, the mercurial land of dreams. When the malevolent entity abducts the Sandman, and then snatches its own creators from their cozy beds in an Iowa farmhouse, the boys’ cynical father must rescue his sons and save the Sandman before the sleep-deprived citizens of the world burn everything to the ground.

Brad Marlowe is the writer/director of five independent feature films you’ve never heard of, the writer of several technology columns you’ve never read, and has been making a living with his words for fifteen years. SLEEPWALKER: THE LAST SANDMAN is Mr. Marlowe’s first published novel. He lives near Los Angeles with his wife, a pair of dogs, and two beautiful sons who inspired this tale – even before they were born.

* Please visit the Sleepwalker book listing page at Amazon.com to read current user reviews (4.5 stars across 18 reviews). The URL is:

Reviews

Review by:
RJ Lopez
on April 12, 2010 :
Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman is an enjoyable read that takes the reader from the world of commonplace to the world of imagination. Marlowe presents an original take on the world of dreams, and the forces and myths that bind our world to theirs. The backstory created to explain the novel's plot is an enjoyable layer of depth not often seen, and adds further entertainment value to the story.

The primary criticism with the book is addressed within the plot itself, one cannot live another persons dream. While Marlowe's dreamland is entertaining and enjoyable, the reader can have difficulty creating a firm connection to the story itself. Marlowe presents the world of imagination and dreams in such vivid detail, that it can be difficult for the reader to create their own visualization and connection to the story as it unfolds. As with any story, the reader must accept the fantasy they are about to enter, but there are moments where the setting and character rationales can overwhelm instead of enthrall.

The themes and obstacles faced by the characters are not as fantastic and unbelievable as the setting, and the reader can easily identify with the emotion and thought process each character undergoes. The transparency of the characters emotions invokes personal connections between the reader and story as the plot continues in a way that can only add to the overall reading experience. While the land of Nod may not exist, the emotions the characters and the reader undergo while progressing through the plot surely do.

Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman is a read that will if anything inspire the reader to have dreams of their own. That is not to say the story is bad, but instead to say the author successfully provokes the reader to think of the Nod they visit every night when they sleep, and wonder what adventure they will have of their own after finishing the book. Perhaps too all encompassing for a casual beach day or rainy day, the book is most definitely an enjoyable experience for a casual reader looking for a story to work their way through .
(reviewed 31 days after purchase)